Dog bites can be exceptionally dangerous and pose an even more significant risk to children, who are far more likely to be harmed by them than adults. Dog attacks are often the result of pet owners who fail to treat their dogs with the necessary care and respect to foster safe behavior. In fact, pet owners who fail to put the necessary effort into raising and handling their dogs and ensuring they are safe around others may increase the risk that bites will happen.
This is one of the reasons that animal shelters in Lafayette, Indiana, see far too many dogs come through their doors. If you have been injured by the bite of a negligent owner’s dog, don’t wait to consult with an experienced dog bite attorney.
If you find a stray dog that is not wearing a tag with a phone number inscribed on it, transporting them to an animal shelter in the Lafayette area is the right move. It’s also important to recognize, however, that a wounded dog or a mother dog with puppies is more likely to bite, and you should plan your actions accordingly. If you don’t feel safe transporting the pet to a shelter, you can call animal control, which will pick up the dog and transport it for you.
The Lafayette area has a number of reputable animal shelters that will help reunite the dog with its owners or help find a new owner for it.
The Humane Society for Greater Lafayette is in the process of building a new shelter that will better serve the community’s needs, but its current facility remains up and running. The goals of the Humane Society include all the following:
The Almost Home Humane Society (AHHS) provides return-to-owner services every day of the week and is dedicated to providing care for pets throughout the community. Each year, Almost Home serves the needs of more than 3,000 pets via the many programs it offers. AHHS accepts all the following – in accordance with their shelter capacity:
AHHS’s mission is to inspire a more humane community by educating, providing resources, and collaborating to improve the lives of animals and their families.
Happy Tails Adoptions is a no-kill animal shelter whose purpose is to save the lives of as many cats and dogs as it can by placing them in loving, forever homes where they’re able to thrive. All the dogs at Happy Trails receive all the following:
In order to adopt, you will need to meet the following criteria:
Happy Tails is a veterinary facility that also shelters and cares for homeless animals that find their way to them – connecting them with safe, loving homes in the process.
Natalie’s Second Chance Dog Shelter is a no-kill shelter that is dedicated to placing homeless dogs with their forever families and providing them with a home at the shelter throughout the process. Natalie’s does not discriminate in terms of the dog’s breed, age, or health, and they not only accept strays and surrendered dogs but also collaborate with other shelters and rescue facilities to rehome dogs that these facilities can no longer keep. Natalie’s is in search of a larger location that will allow them to save an even greater number of dogs while affording the pooches with green space in which to run unencumbered by leash or chain.
Loving Heart Animal Shelter is a no-kill, all-breed shelter that provides dogs and cats with the safe haven they need while being nurtured back to health – readying them to be adopted into loving forever homes. Loving Heart also seeks foster families for pets in especially sensitive situations, including:
When you foster, you provide the dog you take home with a safe environment that affords them the opportunity to destress and learn the ropes of living as someone’s pet. Your job is to provide your foster pup with a safe home, with love and care, with healthy exercise, and with any assistance in relation to socialization or training they need. You may also be called upon to administer medications as needed and to notify Loving Hearts if you notice any concerning change in the dog’s behavior.
Lafayette Pitbull Rescue is a small nonprofit whose focus is entirely on pitbulls. Toward this end, they engage in all the following:
Lafayette Pitbull Rescue shares the following important statistics about this misunderstood breed:
Pitbulls get a bad reputation, but with the proper training and care, they can make safe and loving family pets. Rescues focusing on pitbulls aim to reduce the number of untrained and potentially dangerous pitbulls to increase public safety and awareness of this often cherished breed.
4 Precious Paws offers walk-in vaccine and wellness clinics every Monday from 9 AM to 4 PM and has a thorough adoption application process. This facility offers spay and neuter services and sells heartworm protection along with flea and tick medications at their facility.
The Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County champions animal welfare in the following primary ways:
The Animal Welfare League boasts a 91 percent save rate and never euthanizes pets whose lives can be saved or for reasons related to space – with a goal of achieving a no-kill status.
It’s also important to point out that Tippecanoe County Animal Control plays a critical role in ensuring that dogs and other pets make their way to the shelters that take care of them and seek well-suited owners for them. The Animal Control Department provides assistance with animal control throughout the county, including all the following:
Before taking on the responsibility of owning a dog, it’s important to do your homework by consulting with a veterinarian or respected shelter regarding what to expect in terms of different breeds and the best options for your household. If you are preparing to adopt or purchase a dog, asking specific questions about all the following can help to ensure that you aren’t taking on more responsibility than you can handle:
If you have a dog at home, it’s important to keep all the following in mind:
Unfortunately, not every dog receives the care and respectful attention it deserves, which leaves some dogs more prone to aggression. Some tips you should know – and should teach your children – in relation to avoiding dangerous dog bites include all the following:
Some things you should never do and should teach your children never to do regarding dogs include:
If you or someone you care about has been attacked and injured by someone else’s dog, the formidable dog bite attorneys at Blackburn Romey in Lafayette, Indiana, are well-positioned to skillfully advocate for your case’s best possible resolution. Our legal team can assess your legal options following a dog bite, and no matter what your case requires, we are on your side.
For more information about what we can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. Consultations and case evaluations are always free of charge.
Blackburn Romey founding partner Tom Blackburn graduated with honors receiving a degree from Indiana University at the Robert H. McKinney School of Law. Initiating his legal career in 1977, he has been active in practicing law and currently serves as a member of the Indiana State Bar Association on the Ethics and Advertising Committees, the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, as a board member at the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, and as an appointed member of the Executive Committee for the State of Indiana for the National Trial Lawyers Association.
